Evelyn Jean Farnsworth

Evelyn Jean Pollard Collins Farnsworth, 78, died quietly Wednesday morning, January 31, 2012 at the home of her daughter. She was born in Austin, Texas to Dr. Cecil Vivian and Kalei O'Laie Jacobsen Pollard on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1933. Evelyn grew up in Austin. She loved Texas and considered herself a Texan through and through. After graduating from Austin High School, she attended Utah State University. She married James Edwin Collins July 22, 1952 in Ogden, Utah. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Evelyn was the perfect military wife. She loved to travel to new places and made friends easily. The family lived in Japan and Germany and in several U.S. states. She especially enjoyed Jim's overseas assignments and always made an effort to learn about and immerse herself in the new culture. Jim and Evelyn took their children on many road trips throughout Europe and the U.S, singing all the way. Evelyn loved to sing and taught her children to do the same. Evelyn's husband, Jim, passed away in 1969. In 1967, Cargill (Oil Division) took a woman for the first time in one-hundred years into its elite fraternity of merchandizing. Evelyn became a merchant in Cargill's Wichita, Kansas office. In 1972 she met and was wooed by a merchant in Cargill's Denver office. On January 1, 1973 she married Ross Dennis Farnsworth in Longmont, Colorado. Ross and Evelyn enjoyed traveling and exploring "out of the way" places. Under Ross' tutelage, Evelyn learned to bake pies and breads and can fruits, jams and jellies. They loved spending time with their children and grandchildren. After moving with Ross to Ogden, Utah, Evelyn worked for Weber State University as Assistant Director of Purchasing for 24 years, retiring in 1997. Her second husband, Ross, passed away in 1991. Evelyn loved music and had a beautiful singing voice. She enjoyed collecting books and was an avid reader. She worked for many years as a children's librarian. She loved practical jokes, dachshunds, movies, Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. She had an amazing collection of books and videos. Most of all, Evelyn loved people. She was a very loving and generous woman who was happiest when she was doing something or giving something to someone else. Evelyn is survived by her children: Jennifer Morrison (Craig) and Paul Collins, her step-children: Michael Farnsworth (Sharon), Karen Downs (Bill) and daughter-in-law, Shirley Farnsworth. She is also survived by her sister, Charlotte Pollard, and brothers, Cecil Eugene (Joanne) and Edward Pollard (Sharon). In addition to many beloved friends and nieces and nephews, Evelyn left seventeen adored grandchildren: Diana Rawlings, Kip Farnsworth, Karen Armendariz, Eric Farnsworth, Scott Farnsworth, Chris McDonald, Mark McDonald, Mike McDonald, Kiley Pew, Lindsey Morrison, Brittany Kipp, Brooke Russell, Randy Kipp, Spencer Morrison, Amanda Morrison, Hilary Collins and John Collins. She also left behind 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husbands, James Collins and Ross Farnsworth, her step-son, Craig Farnsworth and her grandson, Will Downs. Services will be held at the LDS Chapel, 1880 E 9800 South, Sandy, Utah, at 1:00 pm Saturday, Feb. 4. A viewing will be held at the chapel one hour prior to the service. The family would like to offer their thanks for the support and loving care of family and friends, the staff of Alta Ridge Assisted Living and First Choice Hospice. Internment, Resthaven Memorial Gardens, Wichita, Kansas.